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Prescription to the wilderness, Unyoked, from $199. Shop now
Field Notes, Expedition edition set of three waterproof notebooks, $13. Shop now
Figuring by Maria Popova, published February 5, 2019. Pre-order now
Indian Creek Chronicle, Pete Fromm, from $10 on Amazon. Shop now
Marshmallow Crossbow in Natural, MMX Vancouver, $89. Shop now
For the twin brothers Cam and Chris Grant of Unyoked, the greatest gifts are often the smallest. Take, for example, a favourite bottle opener that “was, ah, ‘borrowed'” by their “best mate from a bar during a long trip we had up in Northern Thailand that became our most practical and treasured item during that trip.
“It’s a tiny thing made to look like some kind of fish, a little kitsch, but every time I think to myself ‘Where did I put my bottle opener?’ it magically appears and takes me back to the jungle vibes of that trip,” the brothers tell GRAZIA. “It accompanies me on all my travels and road trips. Plus, it’s great at opening beers too.”
It should come as no surprise that the brothers, who are the co-founders of the experiential accomodation provider Unyoked, which was created with the purpose of reintroducing a sense of adventure back into the everyday through encouraging off-the-grid exploration of wilderness areas located within easy reach of Sydney and Melbourne, should be fans of packing light and packing well. The same could said of their ethos when it comes to gifting. When asked what it is that they should hope to receive for Christmas, both responded with ideas that speak to an interest in utility and pursuing intrepid outdoor activities undertaken with a view to being inspired.
There is plenty of inspiration to be found in the brothers’ required reading material, and just as much in the possibilities of writing one’s own adventure story through getting off-grid with a series of weatherproof notebooks. On the less practical side, a marshmallow crossbow hints that the business of going into the wild needn’t be all earnest soul searching and adventure.
This holiday season, the brothers will head to one of their favourite, secret camp spots on the North Coast of New South Wales. “[We’ll] have a fire, cook and catch up on life,” they say. “We also need to head on a scouting trip for Unyoked to the Tasmanian wilderness.” It’s there that the brothers will be looking to expand their micro-adventure accomodation offering from six to nine standalone, sustainable and self-contained remote luxury cabins, further to those that are already stationed throughout NSW and Victoria.
Consider, then, giving the gift of time spent outdoors – what could be greater than that?
Tile and cover image: Courtesy of Unyoked
